What to buy 25-35k?

[Colonial]

So, work is going well, young, and need a new car.

Have a shortlist in no order of preference
1) Focus XR5 (near new/demo)
2) Audi TT quattro hatch (2000-2002)
3) Audi S3 (2002-2003)
4) VW Golf GTi (2006/2006)
5) 2003 Nissan 350Z
6) 01 Honda S2000
7) 99 - 02 BMW 325ci
8) 04 Subaru Liberty 3.0RB manual

Have no real need for rear seats, but wouldn't mind them for the rare times I need them.

Tend to lean towards euro, but a decent jap car is fine. Need something I can use for work (presentable to clients etc)

No Mazda RX8 as a mate at work has one and I can't copy.

[Fiddlemesticks]

Well my head say Golf GTi Mk5, but my heart says 350z.

The S2000 is really nice, but not enough torque.

GTi and chip it.

[Colonial]

Well, you just reccomended the two that are top of my own list.

The GTi for doing everything. The 350Z for old school charm.

Forgot - also have the Alfa 147 GTA on that list.

[Fiddlemesticks]

great minds and all that...

I'd love the GTA but apparently its a bit go kart like which is no problem, but i wonder if its 'wants to go all the time' nature would end up with you having mucho points on your license.

How about a 156GTA?

[Colonial]

Fiddlemesticks said:

great minds and all that...

I'd love the GTA but apparently its a bit go kart like which is no problem, but i wonder if its 'wants to go all the time' nature would end up with you having mucho points on your license.

How about a 156GTA?

I've already lost 6 so might be an issue there.

Most 156's seem just out of my price range. if the right one turns up I wouldn't discount it immediately

They just aren't at the absolute top of my list at this point. Do a bit of driving (40,000kms in under a year) so need something I can rely upon. Not sure if the Alfa is up to that unfortunately.

[tim the pool man]

I'm looking for similar, although I do need 4 seats, and budget might stretch just slightly higher. Will check some of those on your list, at the moment I'm almost set on an RX8 after wobbling between it and an HSV or Monaro. Now I (almost) have my hands on the $, I seem to be swaying back to the RX8 as I prefer something a bit "out of the ordinary".

Have you driven the RX8?

[Colonial]

tim the pool man said:

I'm looking for similar, although I do need 4 seats, and budget might stretch just slightly higher. Will check some of those on your list, at the moment I'm almost set on an RX8 after wobbling between it and an HSV or Monaro. Now I (almost) have my hands on the $, I seem to be swaying back to the RX8 as I prefer something a bit "out of the ordinary".

Have you driven the RX8?

Yeah, I sit next to a bloke with one, and my parking space is next to his. Like 'em but just might be a bit biazzare considering.

Not a fan of local cars tbh. Never really all that impressed. But I'm more 4 and 6 than 8

[tim the pool man]

I'm a rotary man through and through, have had several RX7s and raced rotaries for years. Only thing that put me off the RX8 is the lack of torque, compared to an RX7 Turbo. For it's intended use the lazy performance of a V8 has some appeal.
I'm wondering whether to buy a high milage RX8 and spend the difference on a rebuild and supercharger...

[nickpage]

i agree, go with the 350Z coupe.

[deviant]

Its the same price range I am looking in and my list is very similar to yours.

I do about 25,000KM a year with highway commuting and buggerising around on the weekends.

My requirements are a bit different to yours though because whatever I buy will need to be able to cop a trackday/sprint once or twice a month.

At the moment I have got an Astra for the daily and a MK1 MR2 for fun....I keep thinking I should just stick with what I have got, but then I keep thinking I want a nicer daily but then I dont want something thats to compromised on track...so maybe I shoud keep the Astra forever and build a Westfield...I dunno...its a tough choice!!

Its made harder in Perth though because used car prices seem to be a touch higher than the eastern states.

Hmmmm though the Evo 6 falls slap in the middle of that price range...as does the R32 and R33 GTR Skyline.

I am loving the look of a Golf R32 at the moment, dont think I can afford one though

I'm not drawn to local cars at all either...dont like the build quality, safety, styling, performace...

[RN318]

you don't like the Mazda MPS3?
It's probably not the best looking car, but it's very quick in comparison to most of the other hatches.

[ajg31]

So what was chosen? I am swinging between a 3dr golf GTI, a brand new fiesta xr4 (at a very nice drive away price of 24k) or a blow the budget 05 350z. I so need to be practicable but the 350 is what i really want. the Fezza (Fiesta) is what i should get and the golf is what the grown up in me wants

Edited by ajg31 on Sunday 13th April 14:39

[Colonial]

ajg31 said:

So what was chosen? I am swinging between a 3dr golf GTI, a brand new fiesta xr4 (at a very nice drive away price of 24k) or a blow the budget 05 350z. I so need to be practicable but the 350 is what i really want. the Fezza is what i should get and the golf is what the grown up in me wants

Decided to go travelling in a couple of months to reward myself for hard work and all that.

I'll look again when I get back, but it will be a similar list. Hopefully the 3dr GTi will be in budget by the time I get back

[frosty-11]

You could (jsut about) get a R33 Skyline GT-R for that sort of money, if you could handle say 97/98 car - but it would go like stink

-Just a thought!

[Colonial]

No.

Fast but no.

[tim the pool man]

As you might have seen, I ended up getting a Monaro (bought in Sydney, you could have delivered it for me ) You wouldn't consider one?

I'm really happy with it, certainly ticks all of my boxes; I like the look, really comfy, lazy performance etc. I'm sure that sometime down the track I'll want something more raw again, but I'm thinking a cheapish sporty car (early RX7/MX5 or maybe even a L7) and keep the Monaro

[Colonial]

Yeah, it is a nice looking set of wheels (well, apart from the wheels - yellow with chrome wheels isn't it?)

Looking quite carefully at a 2003 Audi S3 with haldex controller and chip at the moment.

[tim the pool man]

Colonial said:

Yeah, it is a nice looking set of wheels (well, apart from the wheels - yellow with chrome wheels isn't it?)

Looking quite carefully at a 2003 Audi S3 with haldex controller and chip at the moment.

Yeah, I'm still not sure about the wheels... they need refurb (very poor chrome on rims) and I'm thinking of doing them black, maybe with rechromed rim. Might play in photoshop first.
Want to get another set of wheels & tyres for occasional trackdays as well.

[Colonial]

black with silver lip is always a good look.

I've always been more of a 4 and 6 boy rather than a 8 man, so not something I really considered. Good value though.

I've got a spare set of 15" alloys in my bloke shed (with a cement mixer and home brew set up) with shagged tyres as a result of that approach. Ebay is excellent for that kind of thing

[deviant]

frosty-11 said:

You could (jsut about) get a R33 Skyline GT-R for that sort of money, if you could handle say 97/98 car - but it would go like stink

-Just a thought!

Depends how broke you want to be in 6 months. Genuine supercar running costs means most of them have not been treated well which means they are heaps of crap

tim the pool man said:

As you might have seen, I ended up getting a Monaro (bought in Sydney, you could have delivered it for me ) You wouldn't consider one?

I'm really happy with it, certainly ticks all of my boxes; I like the look, really comfy, lazy performance etc. I'm sure that sometime down the track I'll want something more raw again, but I'm thinking a cheapish sporty car (early RX7/MX5 or maybe even a L7) and keep the Monaro

I like the idea of a Monaro to. Most of my driving is freeway driving so I think it would suit all the cruising I do.

Whats the fuel use like?

When you say lazy performance do you mean its not all that quick or is it that you can drop it in to 5th gear at 30KMH and drive it like an auto and ride the torque or tick along at 100KMH with 1500RPM?